Football is one of the most popular sports, both in terms of participants and spectators, in Seoul. Seoul had several of South Korea's leading football clubs and biggest football stadium - Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Contents
History
After the Royal Navy introduced the football in 1882, there was a footballing boom throughout the Korea. that saw many football clubs and school teams formed by the 1910s. Also in Seoul, many famous football clubs like Bulgyo Cheongnyeonhoe (불교청년회, Buddhist Youth Club), Geongang Gurakbu (건강구락부, Health Club) and Joseon Football Culb (조선축구단) were founded between the 1910s and 1920s, and they usually had a rivalry against football clubs in Pyongyang, the second biggest city in Korea. In 1933 Kyungsung FC, named according to Seoul's alternate name, was formed and it was the only Korean club which won the Emperor's Cup in Japan.
In 1957, Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. visited Seoul. This was first foreign professional football club that visited South Korea They had 3 matches.
Current clubs
Defunct clubs
[1] The board of K League forced the three clubs Ilhwa Chunma, LG Cheetahs and Yukong Elephants out of the city in 1996.
Therefore, Seoul's 3 clubs had to leave Seoul for another city in accordance with the K League's decentralization policy and relocated not their own wills as belows.
Ilhwa Chunma relocated to Cheonan, LG Cheetahs to Anyang and Yukong Elephants to Bucheon.
Honours
※ Only counted FC Seoul 1990–1995 seasons, 2004–present in Seoul franchise / Ilhwa Chunma (Currently Seongnam FC) 1989–19995 seasons in Seoul franchise / Yukong Elephants (Currently Jeju United) 1991–19995 seasons in Seoul franchise.
Domestic
International
Seoul derbies
The Seoul derbies started in 1990, with competing three football clubs: Ilhwa Chunma, LG Cheetahs and Yukong Elephants also participated in 1991. This derby was called Dongdaemun derby and first derby proper in K League. Many Korean football fans called Dongdaemun Derby because three clubs used Dongdaemun Stadium as their home together. The highlight match of the derbies was the K League 28-round match between Ilhwa Chunma and Yukong Elephants at Dongdaemun Stadium on 9 November 1994 This match was also famous for both teams' great goalkeepers: Valeri Sarychev of Ilhwa Chunma and Aleksandr Podshivalov of Yukong Elephants from Lev Yashin Club. Yukong Elephants beat Ilhwa Chunma 2–0 in this round, and took the derby with a one-point difference. The Seoul derbies stopped in 1995, due to the board of K League forcing the three original clubs out of the city in 1996.
Dongdaemun derby
Dongdaemun derby was consisted of Ilhwa Chunma vs.LG Cheetahs, Yukong Elephants vs.Ilhwa Chunma, LG Cheetahs vs Yukong Elephants in Dongdaemun Stadium
This derby was put to an end in 1996, due to K League's decentralization policy which relocated the 3 clubs.
FC Seoul vs Seoul E-Land FC
Seoul E-Land FC was newly founded on April 15, 2014. This club will use Seoul Olympic Stadium in South Seoul. Korean football fans hope to Seoul derby with FC Seoul using Seoul World Cup Stadium in North Seoul.
Gyeongin derby
Stadiums
Players
Managers
Administration
Seoul is the location of the headquarters of Korea Football Association.